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Maryland sues Volkswagen over emissions cheating

New York state, Massachusetts and Maryland are suing Volkswagen and its affiliates Audi and Porsche over diesel emissions cheating, alleging that the German automakers defrauded customers and violated state environmental laws by selling diesel vehicles equipped with software allowing them to cheat emissions testing.

New York state, Massachusetts and Maryland are suing Volkswagen and its affiliates Audi and Porsche over diesel emissions cheating, alleging that the German automakers defrauded customers and violated state environmental laws by selling diesel vehicles equipped with software allowing them to cheat emissions testing.

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Updated: 6:51 AM EDT Jul 20, 2016

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WEBVTT MARYLAND'S ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS THERE ARE 12,935 VOLKSWAGEN, AUDI AND PORSCHE DIESEL VEHICLES ON THE ROAD IN MARYLAND THAT ARE POLLUTING OUR AIR AND VIOLATING STATE ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS. ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT, THE STATE IS SUING THE GERMAN AUTO MAKER. SEC. GRUMBLES: WE DO NOT STAND FOR VOLKSWAGEN'S DIRTY DIESEL TACTICS AND EMISSIONS TRICKERY, WHICH THREATEN THE WATERS, LAND, AND LUNGS OF MARYLANDERS. GEORGE: STATE OFFICIALS SAY SINCE 2008, VOLKSWAGEN SOLD CARS THAT HAD SOFTWARE, CALLED "DEFEAT DEVICES," THAT ALLOWED THEM TO CHEAT EMISSIONS TESTING AND, THE STATE SAYS, FALSELY ADVERTISE POWERFUL YET CLEAN AND GREEN VEHICLES. >> VARIOUS MODELS THAT WERE SOLD WITH THESE DEFEAT DEVICES, WE SAY IN THE COMPLAINT, SPEWED 15, 20, 35 TIMES THE AMOUNT OF POLLUTION THAT WAS ALLOWED BY LAW. GEORGE: THE STATE ALSO ALLEGES VOLKSWAGEN'S TOP BRASS ORCHESTRATED A COVER-UP. THE COMPANY SAYS IT'S ALREADY RESOLVING A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR FEDERAL SETTLEMENT ON THIS ISS AND "IT IS REGRETTABLE THAT SOME STATES HAVE DECIDED TO SUE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CLAIMS NOW, NOTWITHSTANDING THEIR PRIOR SUPPORT OF THIS ONGOING FEDERAL-STATE COLLABORATIVE PROCESS." FROSH TOLD REPORTERS TODAY MARYLAND RECEIVED ABOUT $16 MILLION FROM THAT SETTLEMENT, BUT TUESDAY'S LAWSUIT MAKES IT CLEAR THE STATE IS NOT SATISFIED. >> YOU CANNOT POLLUTE OUR AIR AND HURT OUR CITIZENS AND EXPECT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET A SLAP ON THE WRIST. YOU'RE GOING TO PAY THE PIPER. GEORGE: THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS VOLKSWAGEN COULD OWE MARYLAND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN

Maryland sues Volkswagen over emissions cheating

New York state, Massachusetts and Maryland are suing Volkswagen and its affiliates Audi and Porsche over diesel emissions cheating, alleging that the German automakers defrauded customers and violated state environmental laws by selling diesel vehicles equipped with software allowing them to cheat emissions testing.